Fan cowl locking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624790-B2
Application number	US-201414575363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Jan 2, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A locking system comprising a handle mounted such that it can rotate about an operating spindle, wherein the handle can move between a locked position and an unlocked position, a hook mounted on the handle and secured in rotation therewith, wherein the hook has a throat in which a latching point of a structure is designed to engage when the handle is in the locked position. The locking system comprises a key associated with the hook and by means of which it is possible to pass from the locked position to the unlocked position of the handle, wherein the key can be removed when the handle is in the locked position and cannot be removed when the handle is in the unlocked position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A locking system comprising:
a handle mounted such that it is rotatable about an operating spindle, wherein the handle can move between a locked position and an unlocked position,
a hook mounted on the handle and secured in rotation therewith, wherein the hook has a throat in which a latching point of a structure is designed to engage when the handle is in the locked position,
a key associated with the hook and by means of which it is possible to pass from the locked position to the unlocked position of the handle, wherein the key can be removed when the handle is in the locked position and cannot be removed when the handle is in the unlocked position,
a counter-hook having a counter-throat in which said latching point is designed to engage when the handle is in the locked position, and which is mounted on the handle such that it is secured in rotation therewith, wherein the key is arranged so as to engage with the counter-hook, and wherein the counter-hook is arranged so as to adopt, alternatively, under the action of the key, a free position in which the counter-throat is remote from the latching point allowing the handle to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position, a gripping position in which the latching point is sandwiched between the counter-throat and the throat, and a position, called the blocking position, which is distinct from the gripping position, and,
a blocking arrangement provided so as to prevent the key from being removed when the counter-hook is in the blocking position, and to allow the key to be removed when the counter-hook is in the gripping position.

2. The locking system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a pennant attached to the key.

3. The locking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking position is beyond the gripping position with respect to the free position, and wherein the locking system further comprises a spring which bears between the handle and the counter-hook in order to force the counter-hook into the blocking position.

4. The locking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the counter-hook has two slots which open at an opening into which the key may be introduced, wherein the key has shapes configured to be introduced into the slots, wherein the blocking arrangement is formed by a part of the handle which is arranged so as to partly obstruct the opening in the blocking position, and so as to not obstruct the opening in the gripping position, and by a notch of the key which abuts against the part in the blocking position.

5. The locking system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a spring configured to force the counter-hook into the blocking position.

6. An aircraft nacelle comprising:
two fan cowls mounted such that they can rotate about an opening axis parallel to an axis of the nacelle, of which a first fan cowl has a latching point, and
a locking system comprising:
a handle mounted such that it is rotatable about an operating spindle, wherein the handle can move between a locked position and an unlocked position,
a hook mounted on the handle and secured in rotation therewith, wherein the hook has a throat in which a latching point of a structure is designed to engage when the handle is in the locked position,
a key associated with the hook and by means of which it is possible to pass from the locked position to the unlocked position of the handle,
a counter-hook mounted on the handle and moveable under the action of the key between at least a free position in which the counter-hook is remote from the latching point allowing the handle to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position, a gripping position in which the latching point is sandwiched between the counter-hook and the throat, and a position, called the blocking position, which is distinct from the gripping position,
wherein the key can be removed only when the handle is in the locked position and the counter-hook is in the gripping position and cannot be removed when the handle is in the unlocked position,
the handle being mounted such that it is rotatable on the second fan cowl about an operating spindle which is parallel to the opening axis.

7. The aircraft nacelle as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a pennant attached to the key.

8. The aircraft nacelle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the blocking position is beyond the gripping position with respect to the free position, and wherein the locking system further comprises a spring which bears between the handle and the counter-hook in order to force the counter-hook into the blocking position.

9. The aircraft nacelle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the counter-hook comprises a counter-throat in which said latching point is designed to engage when the handle is in the locked position, and which is mounted on the handle such that it is secured in rotation therewith, and
wherein the locking system further comprises a blocking arrangement provided so as to prevent the key from being removed when the counter-hook is in the blocking position, and to allow the key to be removed when the counter-hook is in the gripping position.

10. The aircraft nacelle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the counter-hook has two slots which open at an opening into which the key may be introduced, wherein the key has shapes configured to be introduced into the slots, wherein the blocking arrangement is formed by a part of the handle which is arranged so as to partly obstruct the opening in the blocking position, and so as to not obstruct the opening in the gripping position, and by a notch of the key which abuts against the part in the blocking position.

11. A locking system comprising:
a handle mounted such that it is rotatable about an operating spindle, wherein the handle can move between a locked position and an unlocked position,
a hook mounted on the handle and secured in rotation therewith, wherein the hook has a throat in which a latching point of a structure is designed to engage when the handle is in the locked position,
a counter-hook configured to engage the latching point and being mounted on the handle and moveable between a free position in which the counter-hook s remote from the latching point allowing the handle to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position, a gripping position in which the latching point is sandwiched between the counter-hook and the throat, and a position, called the blocking position, which is distinct from the gripping position
a key associated with the hook and arranged so as to engage with the counter-hook, and wherein under the action of the key, the handle passes from the locked position to the unlocked position and the counter-hook passes from the gripping position to the blocking position or the gripping position, and,
wherein the key can only be removed when the handle is in the locked position and the counter-hook is in the gripping position and cannot be removed when the handle is in the unlocked position.

12. The locking system as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising a pennant attached to the key.

13. The locking system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the blocking position is beyond the gripping position with respect to the free position.

14. The locking system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:
a blocking arrangement provided so as to prevent the key from being removed when the counter-hook is in the blocking position, and to allow the key to be removed when the counter-hook is in the gripping position.

15. The locking system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the counter-hook has two slots which open at an openi

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas
• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Fabre Christian
• Bignolais Alain

Classifications

• E05B11/02

  before the wing is locked · CPC title

• Y10T70/7486

  Single key · CPC title

• B64D29/06 Primary

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• E05C19/145

  flush · CPC title

• F01D25/24 Primary

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title